Acts 1
1 Certainly, O Theophilus, I composed the first discourse about everything that Jesus began to do and to teach,
The first account which I drew up, Theophilus, dealt with all that Jesus did and taught from the very first,
2 instructing the Apostles, whom he had chosen through the Holy Spirit, even until the day on which he was taken up.
down to that day on which he was taken up to heaven, after he had, by the help of the Holy Spirit, given instructions to the apostles whom he had chosen.
3 He also presented himself alive to them, after his Passion, appearing to them throughout forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God with many elucidations.
With abundant proofs, he showed himself to them, still living, after his death; appearing to them from time to time during forty days, and speaking of all that related to the kingdom of God.
4 And dining with them, he instructed them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but that they should wait for the Promise of the Father, “about which you have heard,” he said, “from my own mouth.
And once, when he had gathered them together, he charged them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait there for the fulfillment of the Father’s promise – “that promise,” he said, “of which you have heard me speak;
5 For John, indeed, baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit, not many days from now.”
for, while John baptized with water, you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit before many days have passed.”
6 Therefore, those who had assembled together questioned him, saying, “Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom of Israel?”
So, when the apostles had met together, they asked Jesus this question – “Master, is this the time when you intend to re-establish the kingdom for Israel?”
7 But he said to them: “It is not yours to know the times or the moments, which the Father has set by his own authority.
His answer was, “It is not for you to know times or hours, for the Father has reserved these for his own decision;
8 But you shall receive the power of the Holy Spirit, passing over you, and you shall be witnesses for me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the ends of the earth.”
but you will receive power, when the Holy Spirit will have descended on you, and will be witnesses for me not only in Jerusalem, but throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
9 And when he had said these things, while they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him from their sight.
No sooner had Jesus said this than he was caught up before their eyes, and a cloud received him from their sight.
10 And while they were watching him going up to heaven, behold, two men stood near them in white vestments.
While they were still gazing up into the heavens, as he went, suddenly two men, clothed in white, stood beside them,
11 And they said: “Men of Galilee, why do you stand here looking up toward heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, shall return in just the same way that you have seen him going up to heaven.”
and said, “People of Galilee, why are you standing here looking up into the heavens? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into the heavens, will come in the same way in which you have seen him go into the heavens.”
12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mountain, which is called Olivet, which is next to Jerusalem, within a Sabbath day’s journey.
Then the apostles returned to Jerusalem from the hill called Olivet, which is about three quarters of a mile from the city.
13 And when they had entered into the cenacle, they ascended to the place where Peter and John, James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Jude of James, were staying.
When they reached Jerusalem, they went to the upstairs room, where they were staying. There were there Peter, John, James, and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas the son of James.
14 All these were persevering with one accord in prayer with the women, and with Mary, the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.
They all united in devoting themselves to prayer, and so did some women, and Mary, the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.
15 In those days, Peter, rising up in the midst of the brothers, said (now the crowd of men altogether was about one hundred and twenty):
About this time, at a meeting of the Lord’s followers, when there were about a hundred and twenty present, Peter rose to speak.
16 “Noble brothers, the Scripture must be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit predicted by the mouth of David about Judas, who was the leader of those who apprehended Jesus.
“Friends,” he said, “it was necessary that the prediction of scripture should be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit made by the lips of David about Judas, who acted as guide to the men who arrested Jesus,
17 He had been numbered among us, and he was chosen by lot for this ministry.
for he was one of our number and had his part allotted him in this work of ours.”
18 And this man certainly possessed an estate from the wages of iniquity, and so, having been hanged, he burst open in the middle and all his internal organs poured out.
(This man had bought a piece of land with the price of his treachery; and, falling heavily, his body had burst open, and all his bowels protruded.
19 And this became known to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that this field was called in their language, Akeldama, that is, ‘Field of Blood.’
This became known to everyone living in Jerusalem, so that the field came to be called, in their language, ‘Akeldama,’ which means the ‘Field of Blood.’)
20 For it has been written in the book of Psalms: ‘Let their dwelling place be desolate and may there be no one who dwells within it,’ and ‘Let another take his episcopate.’
“For in the book of Psalms,” Peter continued, “it is said – ‘Let his home become desolate, and let no one live in it’; and also – ‘His office let another take.’
21 Therefore, it is necessary that, out of these men who have been assembling with us throughout the entire time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us,
Therefore, from among the men who have been with us all the time that Jesus, our Master, went in and out among us –
22 beginning from the baptism of John, until the day when he was taken up from us, one of these be made a witness with us of his Resurrection.”
from his baptism by John down to that day on which he was taken from us – someone must be found to join us as a witness of his resurrection.”
23 And they appointed two: Joseph, who was called Barsabbas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias.
So they put forward two men, Joseph called Barsabbas, whose other name was Justus, and Matthias;
24 And praying, they said: “May you, O Lord, who knows the heart of everyone, reveal which one of these two you have chosen,
and they offered this prayer – “Lord, who reads all hearts, show which of these two men you have chosen
25 to take a place in this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas prevaricated, so that he might go to his own place.”
to take the place in this apostolic work, which Judas has abandoned, to go to his proper place.”
26 And they cast lots concerning them, and the lot fell upon Matthias. And he was numbered with the eleven Apostles.
Then they drew lots between them; and, the lot having fallen to Matthias, he was added to the number of the eleven apostles.
